of life, the creature is the author of death. In God then we find life, in the creature death. It is Christ who is not only the way, but the truth; not only the truth, but the life. We must not only make him the way by which we may have access to the Father, but the truth as being the fountain and essence of the same; and we must make him the life from whom we must receive all spiritual life. Our souls, which once were like the barren heath, become through him fruitful gardens; the wild olive tree, by being ingrafted into the parent stock, and by partaking of the root and fatness of the same, becomes productive, bears much fruit, and repays the labour of the husbandman ". The death of the body is but a figure of the death of the soul; and as Christ was raised up from the dead, so are we raised up into newness of life. We already pass from death unto life. By receiving the same spirit which animated the bosom of Christ, by the spirit of him that raised Christ from the dead dwelling in us, "we are joined unto the Lord and become one spirit," bear in some degree the same fruits which he did, have the same mind that was in Christ, and in short shew the same proofs of spiritual life as he did. All this, we do by receiving life from him; for remember that the same sap which pervades the vine insinuates Rom. xi. 17. a 1 Cor. vi. 17. z Rom. viii. 11. itself through all the branches, which exhibit the same life as the vine itself. The very blood which is embodied in the heart, the seat of life, visits all the members, yea, the most unworthy, and communicates the same life to them all. And if the sap be by any accident withdrawn from the branches, or blood from the members, animation is immediately suspended; so in like manner are we all entirely dependant upon Christ for life, since without him or separated from him we can do nothing. Do you know then, my brethren, what it is " to live by faith on the Son of God"." Is the life of Jesus, as the apostle expresses it, manifested in you. Has the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus made you free from the law of sin and death? Have you been quickened by his Spirit? Has the second Adam been to you a quickening Spirit? Is he to you the bread which came down from heaven, and on which you are feeding, and that giveth life? If all this be foolishness to you, you are yet in your sins. "Awake then thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you life." The truths which I have been setting before you, are either a savour of death unto death, or of life unto life." Christ comes to you as the Minister b Gal. ii. 20. 2 Cor. iv. 10. e 1 Cor. xv. 45. 2 Cor. ii. 16. of life, but you make him the Minister of death. Recollect that the tree of knowledge was the ruin of Adam; take heed that it is not so to you. But come and eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God, "whose leaves are for the healing of the nations"," which no longer is guarded and preserved from the rude hand of man; but now the gates of Paradise are again thrown open, the sword of the Cherubims is changed into the olive branch peace, and they themselves are become ministers of of grace instead of vengeance'. We come to you as angels of light instead of darkness. We being crafty would catch you with guile, not indeed with the subtlety of the devil the father of lies; but with the simplicity of ministers of the truth, we assure you, that "ye shall not surely die'," and that if ye will put forth your hands and take of the tree of life, and eat thereof ye shall live for ever".-Amen. h Rev. xx. 2. * 2 Cor. iii. 16. m Gen. iii. 22. i Heb. i. 14. 1 Gen. iii. 4. SERMON II. HEBREWS I. 1—3. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power; when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. WITHOUT entering into a critical examination concerning the author of this epistle, and shewing from parallelisms, style, mode of reasoning, and method in which the subject-matter is handled, that the apostle Paul is the author of this inestimable composition, I would make a few remarks upon the abrupt manner in which the apostle has commenced this letter, which has led some to doubt whether he is the real author of this production. We must take into consideration the persons to whom this letter is addressed. We must bear in mind their peculiar objections to Christianity, their prejudices against the apostle, their habits, and most especially their modes of salutation, which were very different to those practised by the heathens. The apostle had a remarkably conciliatory manner, as is evident in all his conduct and writings. This is particularly observable in the introduction to his First Epistle to the Corinthians, to whom he was writing a very severe letter; so that their minds might be softened, and prepared for rebuke. After the customary salutation of the apostle, according to the usual mode of congratulation which one Greek would make to another, (for the apostle became a Greek that he might win the Greeks,) he with consummate wisdom then adds, "I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in every thing ye are enriched by him in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you. So that ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." This conciliatory introduction is most peculiarly happy from the circumstance, that the apostle in the course of his epistle severely reproves the Corinthians for the very things for which he here praises and compliments them ". The apostle, in the course of his letter, reproves the Corinthians concerning their spiritual gifts, for which he here compliments them, and with which they were so much puffed up. Ꭰ |